Fall harvest time reminds us that climate change poses a threat to the food sources of both people and wildlife. As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, we can expect to see more impacts to the U.S. agricultural sector. This sector, which includes crops, livestock, and seafood, is a critical component of the U.S. economy. In addition to feeding the nation, it contributes $200 billion to the economy annually.

Photo by Cam Miller

The National Wildlife Federation works to support sustainable agricultural practices. Currently, climate change impacts to agriculture include changes in the frequency and severity of droughts and floods, warmer temperatures (which may make crops grow quickly, but could also reduce yields), and the spread of weeds, pests and fungi that harm crops. These same impacts also negatively impact wildlife, habitat, and natural resources.

The following examples highlight some of the impacts to agriculture in New Hampshire, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Montana.

Maple Syrup in New Hampshire

New York and the New England states account for about three quarters of all the maple syrup produced in the U.S., an industry worth $117 million in 2014. Maple producers say the industry employs about 1,000 people in New Hampshire alone and accounts for more than $150 million in economic activitiy each year. The sap used to produce maple syrup only flows in the late winter and early spring when temperatures rise above freezing during the day and drop below freezing at night. This temperature change creates the needed pressure for pushing sap from the roots of the tree to the branches, where it is used to produce spring time leaves.

Climate change is shifting the timing on when sap runs, causing the season to start sooner and end faster. Drought, forest fires, and the threat of invasive pests are also threats to maple trees in a changing climate, and as maple forest composition changes, it may also impact wildlife.

Photo by Glass House

Wine in Virginia

As climate change alters the timing of seasons and causes drought and extreme weather, regions that are suitable for growing grapes may shift, impacting the wine industry. Wine grapes are very delicate crops and small changes in temperature can impact the quality of the grape, and consequently the wine. Climate change will alter the timelines of when grapes ripen, making it more difficult for harvesters to plan their work season. Warmer temperatures can also increase the risk of disease on the vines, such as Pierce’s disease, which is caused by a harmful bacteria that kills grape vines.

Wine in Virginia is currently a booming business, bringing jobs and tourists to Virginia’s beautiful rural areas. Approximately 6.6 million bottles of wine were sold during fiscal year 2016, amounting to over $2 million in wine liter tax collections. Climate change could pose a significant threat to this growing industry.

Corn in Pennsylvania

Corn is one of the most important crops in Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector. In 2014, agriculture contributed $8.1 billion to the state’s economy and nearly one out of every seven jobs was related to agriculture. Corn is insured more than any other crop in the state, with a crop insurance coverage of $248 million (protecting 657,023 acres) in 2015.

The corn crop supports Pennsylvania’s dairy industry, which is worth $2.34 billion annually. This industry depends on feed corn, which can become expensive when there are corn shortages, as was the case during the drought that struck the Midwest in 2012-2013. Climate change is expected to increase the risk of drought. While it is difficult to tie a specific drought occurrence to climate change, 2016 also resulted in water shortages, and Pennsylvania has issued drought watches for many counties. More frequent and severe droughts caused by climate change could result in increased costs and drops in production for not just corn, but other agricultural products like milk, which depends on healthy corn harvests to feed cows.

Photo by LifeFromEveryAngle

Ranching in Montana

Ranching is culturally and economically significant in Montana — the state actually has more cattle than people. Montana has 28,008 farms and ranches and the agricultural sector generated $4.2 billion for all services and products rendered in 2012, making it the biggest industry in the state.

A study by the Montana Farmers Union on how climate change affects agriculture and ranching shows that the state stands to lose millions to its impacts. The report estimated that in the agriculture sector Montana could lose 12,500 jobs and $372 million in lost earnings, with a 25% decline in grain production by 2055. In the ranching sector, the state may lose 12,000 jobs and $364 million in lost earnings, with a 20% decline in rangelands by 2055.

As the productivity of grasslands in Montana declines due to climate change, wildlife such as bison, antelope, and mule deer may also suffer as a result.

Photo by Lindley Ashline

What can be done?

Climate change will have far reaching impacts on the U.S. agriculture sector and the overall economy. A changing climate will harm the natural resources and food supplies that people and wildlife need to survive.

To protect both, the U.S. must reduce carbon pollution and use best agricultural practices to ensure native landscapes sequester carbon and protect healthy wildlife habitat. Taking the necessary steps to reduce pollution will help safeguard agriculture from drought, disease, and increasing weather-related risks. This is vital to farmers, ranchers, and ultimately consumers who rely on the food, fuel, and fiber that farmers and ranchers produce. This will require action by Congress and the Administration to place a price on carbon and promote smart policies that benefit both the land and those that farm it. By reducing carbon emissions and sequestering more carbon from the atmosphere, the U.S. can avert the worst impacts of climate change.

The National Farmers Union, an organization representing 200,000 farmers and ranchers across the country, recognizes the significant threats climate change poses to agriculture. Both the National Wildlife Federation and the National Farmers Union believe that climate-smart agriculture can help farmers and wildlife, providing many benefits that create habitat and healthy soils while enhancing resiliency and helping to mitigate climate change. The following climate petition calls on Congress to do all it can through the Farm Bill to make farming and ranching resilient to climate change by helping farmers with research, information, and assistance to transition to practices that build resilience and sequester carbon.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2016/11/a-harrowing-harvest-climate-change-is-impacting-agriculture/feed/0Follow the Fall Foliagehttp://blog.nwf.org/2016/09/follow-the-fall-foliage/
http://blog.nwf.org/2016/09/follow-the-fall-foliage/#commentsThu, 22 Sep 2016 13:00:23 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=122826Happy autumn! One of my favorite parts of the season is coming: beautiful fall foliage in brilliant shades of orange and red. These seasonal colors will be on full display up and down the east coast, and it’s a great time to explore the changing landscape and peak foliage on a camping trip and support the Great American Campout as the weather cools.

You Don’t Want to Miss: Taking in the view from the top of Mount Cadillac, the highest point along the Atlantic Coast at 1,530 feet tall

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Expected Peak Foliage: early-to-mid October

Camping: Shenandoah has four campgrounds and allows backcountry camping. The campgrounds can be reserved and group camping is available. Most of the campgrounds also can accommodate large RVs. Learn more: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/camping.htm

Wildlife to See: Bobcat, white-tailed deer, and Virginia opossum

You Don’t Want to Miss: Exploring some of the Appalachian Trail to look for cascades and waterfalls

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2016/09/follow-the-fall-foliage/feed/25 Intriguing Behaviors of Rutting Elk (Videos)http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/5-intriguing-fall-elk-rut-behaviors-videos/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/5-intriguing-fall-elk-rut-behaviors-videos/#commentsSat, 22 Nov 2014 13:53:03 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=101214The elk mating season (the rut) takes place every fall, prompted by shorter day lengths. Males (bulls) breed with a number of females (cows) during this time, and exhibit a few fascinating behaviors. I was disappointed to miss the rut this year, but it peaked my curiosity. What elk behaviors did you observe? Here are a few interesting examples.

1. Vocalizing

The breathtaking vocalizations of bulls during the rut are known as bugles. A bull may bugle to show off for cows, assert dominance, warn others to stay away from his harem (group of cows sharing a mate), or challenge a bull to a fight. The other vocalizations of elk (chirps, barks, grunts) are also worth a listen.

2. Fighting

A major part of bull elk behavior during the fall rut is fighting. As hormones rage, bulls engage in battles for dominance, and the ladies. The sound of their antlers crashing together is truly incredible.

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park this November. Photo by Kaila Drayton.

3. Vegetation on Antlers

As I researched the rut, I came across several photos of elk with vegetation hanging off their antlers. I was intrigued. Is it because they get their antlers stuck in bushes? As it turns out, the elk actually dig their antlers through bushes and shrubs get this look, on purpose! It’s a way to assert their dominance. Though, it looks a little silly to me.

4. Wallowing in Mud

I found out that bulls not only wallow in mud, but in doing so coat themselves with urine “perfume” to attract cows. I’ve been told this (obviously) makes them smell pretty bad during this time. Whatever works, I suppose!

Deer Rut

Though the elk rut is over for the year, the deer rut is taking place across much of the country. Though deer aren’t as vocal as elk, males can be quite aggressive with each other. In some towns, including Missoula where deer are common, you don’t want to approach a rutting buck as they can be quite aggressive.

Wild Lands for Wildlife

Most elk populations in the United States live on federally managed lands (national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, etc.). Check out the work NWF’s Northern Rockies and Pacific Regional Center is doing to protect wild lands for elk and other wildlife.

Elk at Rocky Mountain National Park this November. Photo by Kaila Drayton.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/5-intriguing-fall-elk-rut-behaviors-videos/feed/2Watch 1,000 Polar Bears Spar and Nap as They Wait for Hudson Bay to Freeze (Live Cam)http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/live-polar-bear-cam/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/live-polar-bear-cam/#commentsTue, 04 Nov 2014 21:13:22 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=101435An estimated 1,000 polarbears gather annually near the Churchill, Canada and wait for Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can hunt seals and other marine mammals. This live stream reveals what polar bears do as they wait for the water to freeze. This video is courtesy of explore.org, Polar Bears International, and Frontiers North Adventures.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled answers to some of the most common questions related to the polar bear cam. Feel free to ask additional questions in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them.

What Do Polar Bears Eat?

Polar bears are carnivorous (almost exclusively meat eaters). They mainly eat ringed seals, and will also eat other species of seals, walruses, and whale carcasses. Hungry polar bears will search out bird eggs and other food sources, but none of these are plentiful enough to sustain the large body mass and dense populations of polar bears.

How Do Polar Bears Hunt Seals?

Polar bears wait for seals to come to the surface of sea ice to breathe. When the seal nears the surface, the polar bear will bite or grab the seal and pull it onto land to feed.

Another vitally important food source in most areas are seal pups that are born and live in dens in the arctic ice. The polar bear identifies these dens by smell and other markers and pounces though the roof of the den to capture the young seals. In Hudson Bay, the availability of seal pups in the spring is increasingly limited by earlier melting of ice. In the Arctic, polar bears are at the top of the food chain; they eat everything and nothing (but native hunters) eats them.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/11/live-polar-bear-cam/feed/2Nuts for Wildlifehttp://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/nuts-for-wildlife/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/nuts-for-wildlife/#commentsTue, 30 Sep 2014 13:41:10 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=100248When we think of autumn, the first image that comes to mind is colorful leaves falling from the trees. Leaves, however, aren’t the only thing falling in the fall. This is the season of the nut as well, and many species of wildlife rely on nuts for survival.

What are Nuts?

Nuts are produced exclusively by deciduous trees and shrubs. Peanuts are not true nuts, they are legumes that grow underground, and pine nuts are technically edible seeds. The botanical term for nuts is “hard mast,” as opposed to “soft mast” like berries and other fruit. Just like soft mast, nuts are formed when the blooms of trees and shrubs are fertilized by wind or by pollinating animals.

Nuts are high in carbohydrates, protein and fat, and also contain the seed of the plant. The carbs, protein and fat lure hungry wildlife in fall looking to fatten up for migration, for hibernation, or to build up a reserve for the oncoming winter. Animals consume the nut and then plant the seed in their droppings or by caching nuts and forgetting about them, allowing the seeds to germinate and form new plants.

Wildlife and Nuts

A wide variety of wildlife feed on nuts in the fall. Squirrels are perhaps the most obvious, but other rodents such as chipmunks and the many species of native woodland mice feed on nuts. Even large mammals such as deer and black bear rely heavily on nuts in the fall. Many species of birds also feed on nuts, including jays, woodpeckers, band-tailed pigeons, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and wood ducks.

There are several native nut-producing woody plants in North America. They include the many species of oaks and hickories, as well as American beech, black walnut, chinquapin, butternut, hazelnut, and pecan. (The American chestnut was once the dominant nut-producing tree over the eastern part of the country, but has disappeared in the last century due to an exotic chestnut blight.) Pine nuts are also highly prized by wildlife as a food source, even though they are not true nuts.

Like all native plants, native nut-producing trees are adapted to local soil, rainfall and temperature conditions, and have natural defenses against insects and disease. As mentioned in the many ways above, native wildlife rely on these trees as an essential part of their native habitat.

Collecting Nuts for Wildlife

September through early November is the best time to collect nuts. You can germinate them for planting in your garden and throughout your community, or even to give as gifts.

You can also collect seeds to help with local conservation efforts. Many state forestry services have nurseries to grow native trees for use in reforestation and stream bank restoration. They often partner with local nonprofits and watershed groups in nut collecting drives each fall. In addition to the benefit to wildlife, demand for the planting of native hardwood trees has increased to minimize erosion and to restore urban tree canopies to help keep our cities and towns cool. Trees on river banks can absorb pollutants and prevent them from getting into the watershed.

Check with your state department of natural resources and forestry, local conservancy or watershed groups to locate nut collection drives. You–along with your community group, scouts, students or faith groups–can play a role in making sure there are plenty of nuts for wildlife!

Chinquapin nuts collected in Washington, DC. Photo by David Mizejewski.

How to Collect Nuts

Pick a spot to collect. This could be your neighborhood, your local park, a wilderness area, or even along roadside. Anywhere nut-producing trees grow is a good spot.

Collect nuts that have fallen to the ground to ensure ripeness. Avoid nuts that look damaged or moldy. You can also shake the branches to cause ripe nuts to fall. A long stick can help you reach higher.

Bring a field guide to help you identify the tree or shrub species from which you are collecting.

Keep each species’ nuts separate. While humans enjoy a good nut mix, it’ll make it harder to know what you’ve collected if they’re all together. This is especially important if you’re collecting for your state forestry department.

Collect your nuts in a sturdy burlap bag to allow them to breathe and prevent mold. Depending on the species, for long term storage you might need to switch to a plastic bag filled with damp sand or vermiculite or a moist paper towel, which will keep the nuts from drying out. Nuts that dry out during long storage won’t germinate.

Label each bag with species, location collected and date of collection.

Grow native plants that can provide food and shelter for your backyard wildlife!
]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/nuts-for-wildlife/feed/2The Goldenrod Allergy Mythhttp://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/the-goldenrod-allergy-myth/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/the-goldenrod-allergy-myth/#commentsFri, 26 Sep 2014 17:25:08 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=100346Goldenrod blooms are an autumn delight—both for human admirers and wildlife visitors. I can’t help but smile when I see the sunny blossoms, teeming with pollinators. That’s what makes hearing the native plants (Solidago spp.) regarded as the main cause of hay fever so disheartening: Sharing the same flowering period as the culprits, they are labeled guilty by association.

Common Misconception

On two recent nature walks, peers have identified goldenrods as the trigger for seasonal suffering—a seemingly common misconception. Most species of flowering plants depend on either animals, notably insects, or wind to disperse their pollen. It’s the latter group of wind-pollinated plants, notably ragweeds, that are primarily responsible for late summer and fall hay fever in much of the United States. “Their pollen tends to be small and buoyant so it can be carried airborne by the gentlest breeze,” writes Janet Marinelli in a National Wildlife article about allergy-friendly gardening. Fortunately for gardeners and wildlife lovers, she adds, goldenrods and other plants pollinated by animals “have not only brightly colored blooms but also large, heavy pollen that is less likely to be allergenic.”

According to Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, goldenrods support more than 100 species of butterfly and moth in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic alone—a mere sampling of the wildlife drawn to the plants for both food and shelter. Birds benefit when the wildflowers are allowed to go to seed. Left standing in the winter, these faded goldenrods provide welcome nourishment to avian passers-by.

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/the-goldenrod-allergy-myth/feed/146 Excuses to Avoid Yard Work This Fallhttp://blog.nwf.org/2013/11/6-excuses-to-avoid-yard-work-this-fall/
http://blog.nwf.org/2013/11/6-excuses-to-avoid-yard-work-this-fall/#commentsThu, 21 Nov 2013 17:05:00 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=88200They grow. They turn brilliant colors. They capture our hearts. Then they make a mess. Leaves can be a hassle, but put the rake down for a moment. It turns out, leaving the leaves in your yard is beneficial to both wildlife and the environment. Here are a few excuses to avoid garden cleanup.

1. Provide Habitat for Wildlife

Salamanders, frogs, toads, box turtles, invertebrates and a number of other species rely on leaf litter. The leaves provide cover and nest materials for many species. Some animals are just too shy for heavily landscaped gardens.

Box turtles are known to sleep, hibernate and travel in leaf litter.

2. Provide Nutrients for Organisms

Catering to the leaf litter helps maintain a healthy ecosystem in your yard. “Every resident of the leaf litter—or visitor to it—is connected to the food web in some way,” says Elizabeth Johnson, a program manager with the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation. Birds will also feed on the seed heads and stalks of native flowers through winter.

Millipedes are decomposers that live in the leaf litter of forests.

3. Reduce Waste

Yard debris are taken to a landfill and dumped, where layers of waste stall the process of decomposition. The Environmental Protection Agency reported that in 2011, yard trimmings accounted for 13.5% of solid waste (approximately 33 million tons). Don’t let your leaves be wasted, they have critical benefits to wildlife and your garden.

American toads use the leaf litter to hide and hibernate.

4. Increase Fertility of Your Soil

As plant material decomposes, nutrients are added to your soil. Composting and leaf mold piles allow for even more nutrients to develop, which can then be added to your garden. Leaving leaves also allows for greater water retention.

5. Reduce Pollution

Leaf blowers pollute. The trucks that haul yard debris pollute. The fertilizers used in place of natural nutrients pollute. The eco-friendly methods to dispose of your Autumn leaves, however, will eliminate these sources of pollution. Laziness never felt so good.

Chipmunks will often use leaves to build their nest.

6. Save Time

Imagine all the time you’ll save by not having to clear all the leaves from your yard. That time could be spent on other projects, like building an amphibian house, to still get active and relax outdoors. You don’t have to ditch the rake completely, you can use it to move leaves onto your flower beds or onto a compost or leaf mold pile.

Toads use the leaf litter to hide and hibernate.

How to Leave the Leaves

There is more than one way to ecologically handle leaves and other yard debris. Here are a few:

Leaf Mold: This is one of the easiest things to do with your dead leaves. Basically, pile them in a corner of your yard and let them decompose over time. It’s different than composting (see below) in that it is only leaves, no additional organic matter is added. Leaf mold improves soil structure and water retention. Learn the details and make leaf mold in your yard.

Composting: This practice reduces the amount of debris in landfills, while creating fertile new soil for your garden. Compost adds nutrients to your soil, and can be added to your garden in addition to the leaf mold. Learn how to compost with worms.

Save Up: Store excess leaves in paper bags until the spring and summer, when you have limited access to carbon-rich organic materials for compost.

Share Leaves: You have a lot of trees, and too many leaves? That’s a good problem to have. Your neighbors, local farms, schools, campuses and gardens will add your leaves to their leaf mold or compost pile.

Build a Wildlife Brush Shelter: You can attract a variety of wildlife by creating a brush shelter. It’s easy to build and you’ll be supporting an abundance of wildlife in the process. Read more about the benefits of a brush shelter and how to build one.

Elk in a field on the Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Flickr photo by by Nathan Jongewaard.

September marks the time of year when lush river bottoms along the Missouri River in north-central Montana are transformed into their annual splendor. In the late afternoon hours on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (CMR), golden light hits the fall colors of the cottonwoods, redosier dogwood, willow and chokecherry, illuminating a unique palette of color that lasts only a few precious weeks. In addition, hundreds of elk congregate along the fertile river-bottom in the Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area—a cacophony of bugles and grunts fill the canyon walls into the twilight hours. With the nearest major city hundreds of miles away, it’s no problem getting front row seats.

What is the Elk Rut?

The elk mating period, widely referred to as the “rut” is a spectacular opportunity to view large herds of male elk bulls aggressively pursuing female elk cows in a ritual courtship. This annual courtship is photoperiodic, meaning that as the days become shorter in September elk take notice and the cows come into estrus. Large bull elk are on high alert and will often fight to secure a harem of more than 20 cows and spend significant time and energy fending off smaller, inferior bulls. Since elk shed their antlers every year, the older bulls grow a larger set than the previous year—sometimes growing as fast as an inch per day during the summer and ultimately weighing more than 40 pounds. Using these massive antlers, the dominant bull is able to fend off the lesser competition and gain the opportunity to reproduce.

This video I had the honor to film through a spotting scope while at the CMR.

How to Get to the CMR

As the best places often are—traveling to the CMR is difficult and requires a certain degree of planning. Although massive in size (1.1 million acres) this national wildlife refuge is extremely remote. Most adventurous travelers drive through Billings, Montana and head north for about 150 miles to where the Missouri River crosses the landscape. From there, one can follow signs to the refuge towards the east and roll down the windows to listen for bugling elk. For more information on how to visit this spectacular refuge please contact fischerk@nwf.org.

NWF’s Work on the CMR

NWF has been intimately involved with wildlife and resource issues on the CMR for more than 25 years. Currently NWF is working collaboratively with landowners, agencies and sportsmen to restore a wild, free-roaming population of bison to the CMR. Show your support for wild landscapes like the CMR by sharing this exclusive footage with your family and friends and by learning more at NWF.org/RestoringBison.

Well, it’s that time of year again! Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It’s time for raking leaves (and jumping in them), sipping spiced cider, and enjoying all the wonderful changes of the season.

In honor of my favorite holiday (yes, I prefer to eat than get presents), we’ve provided a list of wild crafts and activities your kids will “fall” over — all in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2011/11/thanksgiving-activities/feed/55 Great Animal Migrations on YouTubehttp://blog.nwf.org/2011/09/5-great-animal-migrations-on-youtube/
http://blog.nwf.org/2011/09/5-great-animal-migrations-on-youtube/#respondTue, 27 Sep 2011 06:30:07 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/?p=32171It’s fall in North America and many animals have begun their trek to seek warmer climates. In honor of wildlife’s big move, settle in for a little arm-chair wildlife watching with these YouTube migration videos. These aren’t just North American fall migrations — these animals walk, crawl, swim and fly at all times of year and for many different reasons. Enjoy!

Note: Apologies for the ads at the start of some of these videos. I promise it’s worth the wait!

1. Lobsters Marching Away From Stormy Waters

The combination of the soldier-like crustaceans, David Attenborough’s narration, and the heroic orchestral music make this one of my favorite migration movies. Brace yourself, though, for one scene that shows a spiny lobster meeting a gruesome end at the hands (fins?) of a trigger fish.